Often
2014 single by the Weeknd
"Often" is a song by the Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd. It was released on July 31, 2014, as the lead single from his second studio album, Beauty Behind the Madness (2015). The song contains a sample from "Ben Sana Vurgunum" by Turkish singer Nükhet Duru.
"Often" peaked within the top 60 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the top 70 of the Canadian Hot 100. The song won two awards at the 2015 Much Music Video Awards, Video of the Year and Best Director.
01Background
The Weeknd initially released "Often" exclusively on the streaming service SoundCloud on June 25, 2014. The song was officially released on Apple Music a month later, on July 31.
02Composition & lyrics
According to the sheet music published by Songs Music Publishing at Musicnotes.com, "Often" is written in the key of G minor, and follows a tempo of 68 beats per minute. The Weeknd's vocal range spans from F4 to G5.
The lyrics of the song primarily explore the theme of sex, with Stereogum saying that the Weeknd sings about "how good [he] is at fucking," but that he makes it sound like an "absolutely exhausting burden."
03Critical reception
Justin Davis of Complex said that the Weeknd was "less dour and a little more excited on this song in comparison with most of the releases from his debut studio album, Kiss Land (2013), and "Often" turns him back to his more lyrical days with a stronger delivery." April Clare Welsh of NME stated the Weeknd "sounds like R Kelly on Viagra, spoiling a track that's seductive enough on its own with lines like 'Baby I can make that pussy rain often.'"
04Commercial performance
In the United States, "Often" debuted at number 97 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart on the week of November 1, 2014. On the week of February 7, 2015, the song peaked at number 59. The song spent a total of 20 weeks on the chart. On December 7, 2016, the single was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for combined sales and streaming equivalent units of over three million units in the United States.
In Canada, the song debuted at number 95 on the Canadian Hot 100 chart on the week of November 1, 2014. On the week of February 28, 2015, it peaked at number 69 on the chart. The song spent a total of 20 weeks on the chart. The single was certified gold by Music Canada for sales of over 40,000 copies in Canada.
05Music video
A music video for "Often" was released on August 21, 2014. It depicts the Weeknd in a hotel room, accompanied by several women in various implicit states of undress.
06Remixes
The official remix features additional verses from Rick Ross and Schoolboy Q. Another remix, by Norwegian record producer and DJ Kygo was also released.
07Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
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08Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA) | 4× Platinum | 280,000‡ |
| Austria (IFPI Austria) | Platinum | 30,000* |
| Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil) | Diamond | 250,000‡ |
| Canada (Music Canada) | 3× Platinum | 240,000‡ |
| Denmark (IFPI Danmark) | 2× Platinum | 180,000‡ |
| Germany (BVMI) | Gold | 200,000‡ |
| Italy (FIMI) | Gold | 50,000‡ |
| Mexico (AMPROFON) | Gold | 30,000‡ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ) | 3× Platinum | 90,000‡ |
| Norway (IFPI Norway) | 2× Platinum | 20,000‡ |
| Portugal (AFP) | Gold | 10,000‡ |
| Spain (Promusicae) | Gold | 30,000‡ |
| Sweden (GLF) | Platinum | 40,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI) | 2× Platinum | 1,200,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA) | 4× Platinum | 4,000,000‡ |
|
* Sales figures based on certification alone. | ||
09Release history
| Region | Date | Format | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | July 31, 2014 | Digital download |
Sources and credits
This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Often”, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.
Images, from Wikimedia Commons:
- The Weeknd - Often.png by Unknown author, Fair use
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